I am underwhelmed to see that Nanny thinks it more important to police what parents put in their kids' lunch boxes, rather than provide kids with a decent education.
Such is the sorry tale to emerge from Colnbrook C of E Primary School, wherein Riley Pearson (six years old) was suspended for four days after Nanny discovered some Mini Cheddars in his packed lunch.
Riley's parents met with headmaster Jeremy Meek, after they were sent a letter telling them Riley would be excluded from Wednesday until Monday because he had been 'continuously breaking school rules' wrt "healthy eating".
Parents were told in January:
"Chocolate, sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks are not allowed.Irrespective of whether the school has the right to judge what is "healthy" or not in a child's lunchbox, the letter does not mention anything about suspending pupils who are found with "forbidden" food.
If your child's lunchbox is unhealthy and unbalanced they will be provided with a school lunch for which you will be charged."
Riley's mother, Natalie Mardle, is quoted by the Mail:
"We just do not see how they have the right to tell us what we can feed our son.Headteacher Mr Meek said:
If anything, Riley is underweight and could do with putting on a few pounds.
Having a balanced diet also includes eating some carbohydrates, sugars and fats.
I would understand the exclusion if he was constantly throwing tables around or bullying other children, but it is just ridiculous for a packet of Mini Cheddars."
"We have had a wonderful response and the parents and children are on board and pleased with the way the policy has been impacted on our pupils.I don't see how suspending the pupil (if he has not been disruptive) is at all helpful.
We cannot talk about individual circumstances, but there is one family who are not prepared to support the policy. We are in discussions with them about how we move it forward. We have excluded [the pupil] for four days due to lack of support for the policy.
It is to avoid putting the children in a difficult situation. If the policy is not being abided by, then that potentially harms that pupil."
The disruption caused by pupils who are high on fizzy drinks and endless bags of crisps etc is as a result of them eating shit all day long, where a pupil has a balanced diet that includes a modest "indulgence" that pupil will not be disruptive because of that single "indulgence".
FYI, Riley has now been expelled and his younger brother suspended from the pre-school. Seemingly there have been "persistent and deliberate breach of school policy, such as bringing in crisps, biscuits, sausage rolls, mini sausages, scotch eggs and similar."
It is clear that the relationship between the parents and the school has completely broken down. The school also said the decision was taken because of (as per the Mail) "the parent school relationship suffering an irretrievable breakdown" due to "misrepresentations in the local and national media that were both wholly inaccurate and grossly misleading, abusive language being used towards staff, and other inappropriate actions being taken that were designed to damage the school’s reputation".
Thus we see that both Riley and his brother's education are now suffering.
Visit The Orifice of Government Commerce and buy a collector's item.
Visit The Joy of Lard and indulge your lard fantasies.
Show your contempt for Nanny by buying a T shirt or thong from Nanny's Store.
www.nannyknowsbest.com is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Visit Oh So Swedish Swedish arts and handicrafts
Why not really indulge yourself, by doing all the things that Nanny really hates? Click on the relevant link to indulge yourselves; Food, Bonking, Gifts and Flowers, Groceries
I find this most appalling! Surely, it is up to parents to decide what food their children are given to eat? Whilst I see know harm with giving advice concerning healthy eating,, there is no justification for imposing a dictat upon the matter. Suspending anyone for eating mini cheddars is way OTT: suspension should only be used for serious matters, such as threatening or assaulting staff, bullying or persistant disruption to classes. I hope Mr and Mrs Pearson transfer their son to another school immediately, and that his present one is subject to a rigorous OFSTED investigation as soon as possible. Schools are supposed to educate children, not impose politically correct dogma or food fascism!
ReplyDeleteWhat a bizzare story!
ReplyDeleteSurely, a Six year old cannot be held responsible for what is in his lunchbox.....The parents must decide what is and is not in the lunchbox and so, to me, it appears wrong to deprive the child of his education because of his parent's choice of box contents.
Too many so called public servants, appear to go way beyond their power in implementing such policies. At the end of the day, the well being and welfare of a child is down to the parent, not a jumped up teacher etc. I wonder what health and nutrition qualifications this little Hitler has?
I refer readers to my post yesterday regarding how Nanny believes she owns everyone's children.
I would advise the parents to do some research into their local schools and move both of their children to a local school not run by such petty dictators.
Just for clarity....We do have an obesity problem in this country but, adults are responsible for their own lifestyle choices and parents decide about their children's health and welbeing choices, not bloody Nanny.
OK, that's it, I've given up on Britain.
ReplyDeleteIf even 10 years ago, someone would have told me 6 years old were subject to the equivalent of being strip searched for snacks I would not have believed it. If these kids are used to having all manner of their behavior controlled by a state entity from day one, they will not complain, or even find it perverse when it happens to them as adults.
ReplyDeleteThe pendulum will swing, it always does, but will it be too late for our once great countries?
My fiancĂ©e is a primary school teacher, her school is promoting healthy eating by way of a prize draw. School dinners are served up as normal with the children being given a choice of what to eat. If the child chooses the "healthy" option(s) they are awarded with star(s). The more stars they earn the more chances they are given to win the prize. So far so good. Anyone care to guess what the prize is? A £50 voucher donated by Frankie & Benny's. Not what you were expecting, ey?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the Mini Cheddar article I'm left wondering how long until they suspend all the teachers for breaching the healthy eating policy.
OFSTED Report: Colnbrook CofE Primary School
ReplyDeleteInspection dates:9–10 October 2012
Previous inspection: Satisfactory
This inspection: Inadequate
Achievement of pupils: Inadequate
Quality of teaching: Inadequate
Behaviour and safety of pupils: Requires improvement
Leadership and management: Inadequate
I don't have to say any more...
A crap school by the sounds of things then.
DeleteSimples!
This school is run by fools.
ReplyDelete